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Holiday Tips: Habits

Christmas is coming . . . . & people are freaking out so I thought I’d focus on helping you get through the holiday season without throwing your health goals out the window completely.

Throughout November & December I’ll be doing a series of short posts providing tips on how to stay healthy throughout the silly season (& life in general).

Today I’ll be talking about some habits you can introduce to keep you on track. It’s a great idea to start practicing them now so they are firmly in place come the big day/s.

When setting habit goals, take it step-by-step. Break it up into smaller goals & focus on steps you find easiest to incorporate. Once they are firmly in place, take a small step forward & continue doing this until you reach your ultimate habit goal. This makes big goals much more achievable & sustainable.

In the lead-up to Christmas small changes will avoid mental over-load in an already stressful period.

Try simple things like:

Eating the same (healthy) breakfast every day

Starting the day right will keep you feeling positive & more optimistic throughout the day.

Go for a walk each morning &/or evening

This is not only great exercise but it also takes you away from temptation & helps reduce anxiety & stress.

Taking your family or friends with you makes it great quality time as well.

Here in Australia where Christmas is in Summer this one’s easy, if you’re weather is less cooperative, think of something else you could do that will suit better – maybe a snow-ball fight or tobogganing.

Do something healthy between each meal

Drinking water, going for a walk, having a stretch, doing some yoga & taking a nap are all great options.

Get a good night’s sleep

Starting a bedtime routine is a brilliant way to boost the quality of your sleep.

Brush your teeth after dinner, stay away from screens, do some stretches, read a book etc.

The choices are endless, whatever it is you choose, make sure you stick to it. It will help your body understand that the day is over & it’s time to rest.

Plan ahead

Make sure you plan your days at least the night before. This will make it much easier to stick to what your plan & reduce the temptation to over-indulge

Remind yourself of your goals daily

This will help you stay focussed.

Choose some way that will work for you, & that you won’t eventually ignore. For instance, some people really respond to Apps that send you notifications or reminders.

It’s important to really think about it & choose the thing that will most likely work for you. Apps absolutely does not work for me as I tend to pay attention for 1 day & then ignore them. Some people like to create a vision board or repeat their mantra every time they look in a mirror.

For me, I find that using a diary (paper not digital) that I fill in morning & night is what helps me best – the one I use is the Daily Greatness Journal, but there are heaps of choices out there.

All these habits are great because they’ll not only see you through Christmas & New Year, but they are also perfect for everyday life.

Remember, the easier a habit is, the less reminding, thinking & coaxing it requires so you’re more likely to stick to it. Think really carefully about what habits will support you through your own unique Christmas challenges. Aim for something achievable & start practicing now.

There are many options, you just need to choose the one that works for you. In the words of Micheal Scott, keep it simple stupid.

Would personalised one-on-one consultations with me help empower you to stay healthy over the holiday period. Do you need more general help with your diet, lifestyle &/or weight? If the answer is yes check out my 1:1 consultations or packages. I’d love to help.

Did you find this post useful?

Do you have any questions or anything else to add?

Please leave a comment or send me an email, I’d love to hear from you.

I’d also love to know what you’d like to see in future posts. If you’d like me to write about something in particular, please let me know.

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I’m Kath, qualified nutritionist & personal trainer.
I believe a personalised, flexibile approach to gaining physical & mental well-being is necessary for achieving sustainable lifestyle changes that support both these aspects of health.
In the near future I will be offering a range of nutrition & lifestyle education services designed to gain the life my clients want in a way that works for them.